New York City salon owner teaches dads to brush, braid, style their daughters' hair

NEW YORK (WABC) -- For some dads, braiding their children's hair can be a challenge.

But help is on the way: one New York woman leads a class to teach dads and other caretakers how to get that perfect braid.

Cozy Friedman is breaking down barriers - by teaching dads how to care for their daughters' hair.

Friedman said she starts with the very basics. She shows fathers what products to use, and calls detangler a dad's "secret weapon."

Friedman covers topics from detangling, to braiding to making a bun, which is why this free class is perfect for Ross Weston and his daughter Samantha.

"I don't know how to do a bun, I don't even know what a bun is," Ross said.

Ross, an attorney, said hairstyling is even harder than his legal work.

"Documents and clients usually sit still," he said. "Children don't always do that."

But 8-year-old Pia Ng said the issue isn't with the kids.

"He's not that patient," Pia said of her dad, Anthony. "So he always just tugs my hair."

So Cozy explains in relatable terms.

"I like to think of the tangles sort of like a traffic jam," she said.

Friedman said more dads are taking their kids to her salons, and that they can bond with their daughters over hair.

Nora Delehanty, 11, said she's scared to let her dad do anything but brush her hair. But at Friedman's salon, Nora and her dad Tom were game for something new.

"Anything for your kids, absolutely," Tom said. "I do enjoy combing Nora's hair at night. I'm good at that, brushing it back and getting knots out but...this is a little different."

To be fair, sometimes moms struggle with braiding hair, too, and Friedman has classes for the moms as well.

"We like to keep the dads separate because we want them to feel comfortable," Cozy said. "I was joking it's their man cave, that they shouldn't feel embarrassed because there are other dads there that are the same skill level as them."

Well, Rick Perez had an edge with twin daughters. Now he's mastered the bun, but not every dad is so ambitious.

"I just want to get a grasp of the basics," Anthony Ng said. "So I can brush her hair without her screaming and generally get it to a state where she can go out and meet the general public."